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Proper Cleaning

shmog

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Hello! Hope everyone is well!!

Unfortunately, my budgie has recently been diagnosed with Aspergillus fumigatus, vet says she could have had it for longer than we've known b/c our previous culture tests were taken to a human laboratory instead of a veterinary laboratory b/c of covid :banghead: . I feel awful for not doing a better job for my little friend. But, I've been trying to step up my cleaning game now to eradicate any possible causes and am starting with the food bowls! :)

Usually, I would scrub both water and food bowls thoroughly daily with hot water (+replace water 2-3 times a day as well), now that we're putting multiple crushed medications on her food mixed in with a tiny bit of water, I'm worried that my previous technique wasn't enough and I should opt for a stronger clean.

We've started using baking soda and water more regularly and I want to use that mixture every day while she is receiving the medicine. I've wanted to try the idea of white vinegar, but my parents believe baking soda and vinegar do the same job. I've also heard of F10 to be good, but that seems like it would get here late and I need something to use in the meantime. I've heard dawn dish soap is great but have not been able to find any here. Is baking soda + water enough and could I be using any type of dish soap or does it have to be Dawn?

(also a bit of an offtopic question, but I've been removing the medicated food at night and scrubbing w/ hot water again to prevent potential spoilage in the morning, should I just be leaving it in instead?)

Thanks so much!
 
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expressmailtome

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@Hankmacaw is very knowledgeable about this illness. I know that she has posted quite a bit about treatment, but I am not remembering what she has said to use for cleaning if you can not obtain F10.
 

Hankmacaw

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Cleaning the food bowls would be ideal with F10 - it kills not only the fungus itself, but the spores as well. If you can't get F10 (and you should keep it around) Clorox is the only other disinfectant that kills fungus and it's spores. I'm afraid the things you have been using are better than nothing just because the scrubbing removes some of the microbes, but nothing else. Read these three papers and believe them (They give you how to use Clorox) and the benefits of F10.


Thank you @Just-passn-thru for posting these - now everyone read them, please.
 

Hankmacaw

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PS - especially with Asper never leave food in over night. I did that once when my Hank had Asper and to my horror the next morning asper fungus had grown up 2-3 inches in the bowl.

Just take it out!!
 

shmog

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Cleaning the food bowls would be ideal with F10 - it kills not only the fungus itself, but the spores as well. If you can't get F10 (and you should keep it around) Clorox is the only other disinfectant that kills fungus and it's spores. I'm afraid the things you have been using are better than nothing just because the scrubbing removes some of the microbes, but nothing else. Read these three papers and believe them (They give you how to use Clorox) and the benefits of F10.


Thank you @Just-passn-thru for posting these - now everyone read them, please.
Just gave them a read, thanks so much, that was super insightful! I think I'll be asking my dad to purchase F10 in the morning if its available on amazon and can be shipped here in less than 2 weeks! I'm a bit nervous using such strong chemicals esp. with the risk of not rinsing thuroughly but in this case I think its necessary. Otherwise, I think my best option is to use a diluted bleach solution to clean the plastic food bowls (a birdie sin i know :(, I have new SS bowls being shipped to me soon) Are the diluting instructions on the Water and Health website fine to use for food bowls?

PS - especially with Asper never leave food in over night. I did that once when my Hank had Asper and to my horror the next morning asper fungus had grown up 2-3 inches in the bowl.

Just take it out!!
Good to know my gut was telling me the right thing for this one. A bit of a silly question, but how have you been able to measure the fungus? Was it that visible? :wideyed:
 

Hankmacaw

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Yes it was very visible - it was intricate little fuzzy green fibers - unmistakable.

BTE - F10 IS NOT a strong chemical. It is very benign at the dilutions given. We have one member who took a bath in it when her kid brought itchies home from school and gave them to her. she also gave her bird who would not quit plucking a bath in it. Just because it works does not mean that it is a strong dangerous chemical.
 
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shmog

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Yes it was very visible - it was intricate little fuzzy green fibers - unmistakable.

BTE - F10 IS NOT a strong chemical. It is very benign at the dilutions given. We have one member who took a bath in it when her kid brought itchies home from school and gave them to her. she also gave her bird who would not quit plucking a bath in it. Just because it works does not mean that it is a strong dangerous chemical.
Ah my bad, I assumed it was strong as it needed to be diluted, but that's great news! I wish there was a way for me to obtain it quicker!!! I think from tomorrow I'll make a mixture using 1 part bleach and 32 part water and use it to clean her food and water bowls (probably the cage as well if I have the time) and then rinse thoroughly + air dry. I should just ditch the baking soda + water mixture, right? and this clean should be daily? Thanks so much again for sharing that info, super helpful!!
 
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Just-passn-thru

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Cleaning the food bowls would be ideal with F10 - it kills not only the fungus itself, but the spores as well. If you can't get F10 (and you should keep it around) Clorox is the only other disinfectant that kills fungus and it's spores. I'm afraid the things you have been using are better than nothing just because the scrubbing removes some of the microbes, but nothing else. Read these three papers and believe them (They give you how to use Clorox) and the benefits of F10.


Thank you @Just-passn-thru for posting these - now everyone read them, please.
Many Times I read AA
members only spray or clean with f10 as a "cures all " .
It has brought to my attention, this is a false security & incorrect protocol.

This is why I hope members will take the opportunity to learn the correct procedures.

I am Clinical Aesthetician for over 40 years.
I must comply to state board rules and regulations.
It troubles me the way advice is often given , which does not comply with protocol.
 

Just-passn-thru

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Yes it was very visible - it was intricate little fuzzy green fibers - unmistakable.

BTE - F10 IS NOT a strong chemical. It is very benign at the dilutions given. We have one member who took a bath in it when her kid brought itchies home from school and gave them to her. she also gave her bird who would not quit plucking a bath in it. Just because it works does not mean that it is a strong dangerous chemical.
Thanks for the upvote @Hankmacaw I appreciate your support
:marlenesmile:
 

Just-passn-thru

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Hello! Hope everyone is well!!

Unfortunately, my budgie has recently been diagnosed with Aspergillus fumigatus, vet says she could have had it for longer than we've known b/c our previous culture tests were taken to a human laboratory instead of a veterinary laboratory b/c of covid :banghead: . I feel awful for not doing a better job for my little friend. But, I've been trying to step up my cleaning game now to eradicate any possible causes and am starting with the food bowls! :)

Usually, I would scrub both water and food bowls thoroughly daily with hot water (+replace water 2-3 times a day as well), now that we're putting multiple crushed medications on her food mixed in with a tiny bit of water, I'm worried that my previous technique wasn't enough and I should opt for a stronger clean.

We've started using baking soda and water more regularly and I want to use that mixture every day while she is receiving the medicine. I've wanted to try the idea of white vinegar, but my parents believe baking soda and vinegar do the same job. I've also heard of F10 to be good, but that seems like it would get here late and I need something to use in the meantime. I've heard dawn dish soap is great but have not been able to find any here. Is baking soda + water enough and could I be using any type of dish soap or does it have to be Dawn?

(also a bit of an offtopic question, but I've been removing the medicated food at night and scrubbing w/ hot water again to prevent potential spoilage in the morning, should I just be leaving it in instead?)

Thanks so much!
@shmog
Heres another reliable resource for your review.
The information is a good starting point to Avian hygiene.

Link :
Cage Hygiene in Birds
 

shmog

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Messages
111
Hi again, sorry to ping an old thread but was wondering if this was any problem as I've been thinking about it. I bought ABC bleach instead of Clorox bleach at the start of this thread and I'm just assuming that they are the same when diluted, this is fine right? Or is Clorox brand the one I should have been aiming for?
 

shmog

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Hi there! Apologies for pinging an old thread but just wanted to give you guys an update. We just got our tests back and PJ no longer has Aspergillosis Fumigatus!! All she has now is S. epidermidis and Bacillus subtillis which our vet says aren't harmful! Not sure if we're out of the water yet, but wanted to say a big thank you anyways for all your guys' help. I've learned a lot about proper cleaning methods now and I'm sure that without you all here her recovery would have been a lot longer. So big thanks to you all!! I hope you can celebrate this with me and PJ! :cheer:
 
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